25.7.16

Anambra Records $5m Vegetable Exports To Europe

In a bid to underscore the importance of diversifying the
economy and attracting more industries to Anambra state, Chief Willy
Obiano has confirmed that the concise Economic Blueprint, made up of The
Four Pillars of Development; including Agriculture, Industrialization,
Trade and Commerce and Oil and Gas he developed on assumption of office
has started yielding dividends.

The governor who spoke in Abuja
in an interactive session he had with the People of Anambra living in
the North central part of the country at the Transcorp Hilton stated
that the state is now a socially stable, business-friendly environment
attracting both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth-creating
opportunities.

To this end, he told the audience which included
the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Dr Oby Ezekwesili both PDP and
APC members of the National Assembly, former Governor Chinweoke
Mbadinuju and several others that Anambra State Investment Agency,
ANSIPPA, charged with the mandate of attracting and fast-tracking
investments in the state has so far attracted over $4.2 billion deals to
the state.

The latest investment he confirmed was sealed on
Tuesday last week with Zolt Energy Limited to build a 40 megawatts
Embedded Power Generating Plant in Ogbaru. When completed in the next 18
months as scheduled, all the power generated from it will be
distributed mainly in Anambra State.

On the state of
agriculture, Obiano who was giving a score card of his two and half
years stay in office disclosed that “in January this year, Anambra made
headlines when it became the first state in Nigeria to export vegetables
(Ugu and Onugbu) valued at $5million to Europe.

At the same
time, our locally produced brand of rice known as Anambra Rice recently
emerged the Best Rice in Africa at an African Products Forum in Lagos.
Anambra Rice was adjudged better and more wholesome than other competing
brands from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia and Cameroon.

Our
agricultural sector has also attracted investments from 7 companies
valued at $1.011bn while the large industrial farms have pushed our
local rice production from 90,000 metric tons to 210,000 metric tons. At
this rate, we shall soon surpass the 320,000 metric tons we consume in
Anambra State per annum” Obiano told the capacity crowd at the Congress
Hall that the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee headed by Dr.Emmanuel
Egboga, the former Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters
has been charged with drafting a comprehensive Blueprint for the Oil
& Gas sector and advising the State on the necessary steps that
would ensure the recognition of Anambra as the 10th Oil Producing State
in Nigeria.